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Former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign team started selling T-shirts with mugshots just hours after he was arraigned in New York on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
On Tuesday afternoon, Trump was seen in a Manhattan courthouse, where he faced 34 felony charges concerning hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
According to CNN, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. Soon after, his campaign team tweeted that they were selling Mugshot T-shirts, stating:
"Order your Official Trump Mugshot T-Shirt TODAY!"
The apparel features Trump's black-and-white mugshot with him holding a placard that reads, "President Donald J. Trump, 45-47 04 04 2023." The 45 and 47 could possibly signify Trump's status as the 45th and possibly 47th President. A bold "NOT GUILTY" phrase is also inscribed beneath the picture on the apparel.
However, no mugshots were taken when the millionaire was arrested and only fingerprinted. Therefore, the "mugshot" on the T-shirt is not real and is a manipulated rendering.
Email flyers advertising T-shirts with Donald Trump's mock mugshot circulate, urging supporters to contribute
This is not the first time the former president has marketed his name for profit. His campaign received a donation of over $ 8 million since his 34-count indictment was announced on March 30, 2023. More than half were raised within the first 24 hours of the news.
T-shirts capitalizing on Trump's Not Guilty verdict were not a surprise to netizens as fake memes with his mugshots were already going viral on social media.
Donald Trump's Make America Great Again campaign's official merchandise store listed the item as "Official Trump Mugshot White Cotton T-Shirt," and was priced at $36 before shipping. All proceeds from the T-shirt go towards his 2024 campaign.
The flyer explains that the billionaire was wrongly arrested by the DA, Alvin Bragg, as he had committed "no crime." It claimed that despite best efforts by the left to "bleed (their) campaign dry," numerous grassroots-level contributions have been their main support. It added:
"‘NOT GUILTY.’ Do you stand with President Trump, Friend? Please make a contribution of $47 or more to WIN in 2024 – and we’ll send you your very own ’NOT GUILTY’ T-Shirt for FREE. GET YOURS NOW."
More on Donald Trump's arraignment
The 34 counts of federal charges that the billionaire faces come from Manhattan District Attorney Bragg's investigation into a series of hush-money payments made by him to avoid any negative stories from coming out before the 2016 election.
This included a payment of $130,000 given to adult film actress Stormy Daniels just weeks before the election.
Trump's then-attorney, Michael Cohen, reportedly paid the actress the sum to ensure her silence after she was about to go public about her alleged affair with Trump a decade ago.
Trump has denied having any involvement with Daniels and pleaded not guilty. This marks the first time a current or former US President has been indicted or arrested for a crime.
